The Rainy Season is Upon Us!

Although, in Palmdale, we typically have fairly dry weather up here in the high desert, we get the bulk of our rain in the winter. Considering that winter this year ends on March 20th, we’ve got plenty of rainy days ahead.

So, let’s be as prepared and safe as possible.

Adjust Your Thinking

Fortunately, or unfortunately, we are out of practice when it comes to rainy day driving and we most often times continue to drive as if it was a regular, sunny day. It’s imperative that we adjust our thinking and remember to abide by different safety rules for the road! Here are a few very important things to remember when you see those drops of water start to fall from the sky.

Check Your Vehicle

There’s no time like the present to do a quick look at your vehicle and make sure that its basic equipment is working properly. We suggest you test your headlights, brake lights, warning lights, windshield wipers, defroster and, of course, your tires. It’s hard enough to navigate around in the rain with tires that have full treat. Add some balding tires on your car and get ready for lots of dangerous slipping and sliding!

If you are concerned about the tire tread on your vehicle, don’t hesitate to bring it by Telesis and we can take a look at them for you. Tires are not something you want to wait and replace later if you need them!

Slow Down

I’m sure you’ve heard this time and time again but wet weather conditions demand drivers to SLOW DOWN due to the dangerous wet roads. Although you may feel like you are capable of seeing clearly and reacting quickly, the wet roads cause your vehicle to respond much more slowly and do things it wouldn’t normally do during dry weather.

Give Yourself Space

Give yourself plenty of space when driving behind another vehicle. The recommendation is to add 1-2 seconds of following time to give you and those behind you additional time to react to traffic or any other elements that may pop up.

Hydroplaning

Our desert terrain and roads can be uneven which can cause massive “puddles” in the road. A big safety concern is hydroplaning on wet roads during and after the rain. When you need to slow down, it is recommended that you pull your foot off the gas pedal far in advance to give your vehicle a chance to slow down naturally and then slowly apply brake pressure to bring the vehicle to a safe and controlled stop. If you find yourself hydroplaning, calmly release your foot from the accelerator/gas pedal and gently turn your steering wheel in the direction that the front end of your vehicle needs to go. The key is to stay calm or you could make things worse. Do NOT yank on the steering wheel for a sharp turn and do NOT slam on your brakes.

If you are curious to what the weather in So Cal will look like you can always check the Farmer’s Almanac. They are surprisingly accurate oftentimes for upcoming weather!